In a typical veneer-slicing machine, as for example known from EP 0,127,175, the table to which the flitch to be sliced is clamped moves up and down in a vertical plane. To this end the table is guided by means of guide rails and shoes. A slice of veneer is cut from the flitch, e.g. as it moves downward, by an upwardly directed blade. The blade is mounted together with a pressure plate on a tool support that is normally stationary during the cutting operation. For each cycle of the table movement the tool support is advanced toward the flitch through a distance equal to the thickness of the veneer slice.
German 2,548,164 describes a veneer-slicing machine with a vertically or nearly vertically movable table that when used reciprocates vertically with a flitch clamped to it. A tool carriage with a blade and pressure plate as well as a conveyor belt for carrying off the veneer slices is movable at a right angle to the table. The cutting edge of the blade is directed downward. The cutting is done during upward movement of the table.
Veneer-slicing machines with different arrangements of the table and blade are also known.
German 1,928,152 describes a veneer-slicing machine that is set at an angle. In this machine the rod- and blade-carrying system, that is the tool slide, is reciprocal on tie rods and two guides and rails are provided. The bed holding the flitch, that is the table, is stationary.
German 2,558,487 describes a veneer-slicing machine that is horizontal. A frame carries a horizontal table with clamps for holding a flitch and above it a horizontally reciprocal blade. The blade and its holder and a pressure plate ride on rail-like guides.
In these known veneer-slicing machines for each reciprocation (stroke) of the flitch a slice of veneer is produced. The maximum cycling rate is about 90/min; in which case the guides and their rails get quite hot from friction. Higher temperatures than about 120° C. are bad for the guides and their rails as they can lead to damage caused by for example destruction of the lubricant film or thermal deformation.
The heat thus produced is only dissipated in known systems by convection and lubricants. Thus when used at maximum speed the machine must be shut down periodically, during which time the guides and their rails cool off. This leads once again to a reduction in the output of the veneer-slicing machine.
In order to increase the output capacity of a veneer-slicing machine, German 2,928,109 suggests mounting two blades and pressure plates on a single blade support so that with each stroke two veneer slices are cut off the flitch. This apparatus has however several disadvantages. Very large forces must be applied so that the machine must be very robustly constructed. Furthermore it only works well when oriented horizontally or nearly horizontally, because otherwise there are problems moving out the overlapping veneer slices.